The Invitation by Belinda Alexandra
Sometimes the ties that bind are the most dangerous of all ...
Paris, 1899. Emma Lacasse has been estranged from her older sister for nearly twenty years, since Caroline married a wealthy American and left France. So when Emma receives a request from Caroline to meet her, she is intrigued. Caroline invites Emma to visit her in New York, on one condition: Emma must tutor her shy, young niece, Isadora, and help her prepare for her society debut.
Caroline lives a life of unimaginable excess and opulence as one of New York's Gilded Age millionaires and Emma is soon immersed in a world of luxury beyond her wildest dreams - a far cry from her bohemian lifestyle as a harpist and writer with her lover, Claude, in Montmartre.
Emma hopes for an emotional reunion with her only family, but instead she finds herself in the vice-like grip of her charismatic and manipulative sister, who revels in the machinations of the ultra rich. As Emma begins to question her sister's true motives, a disaster strikes, and New York society is stripped bare - beneath the glittering exterior lies a seething nest of deceit, betrayal, moral corruption ... and perhaps even murder.
From the bestselling author of Tuscan Rose comes a mesmerising tale of two sisters and the dangers and seductions of excess.
'A heady mix of Dangerous Liasions, The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (a century ago) and Cinderella, The Invitation is a wildly entertaining and absorbing read that leaves you with a lot to think about.' Better Reading
Praise for Belinda Alexandra:
'Reading her novels is like going on holiday for a longtime. You don't want to come back' WestAustralian
'[Belinda's] scene-settings drip with atmosphere and hercharacterisations are colourful ... She is a passionate and confident storytellerand her writing is like an artist's dream' BookMuster Down Under
'Every good holiday break requires some escapist reading, and this latest novel from Belinda Alexandra makes the perfect beach or pool-side read' Sunday Age